Shade Stillnight
Shade Stillnight is a young Mage who hails from a rather infamous family; the Stillnight Clan, who were known for being a family of assassins who used magic to aid them in their assassinations. After leaving his family once his grandfather (and mentor) left, Shade spent the rest of his life as a mercenary for hire, as a way to obtain a regular income. Despite stating that he has abandoned the ways of an assassin, Shade still shows top-notch assassination (and slight espionage) skills. Sometime during his travels, Shade came across the Neptune Guild and decided to join them (if only because he found the women in the guild to be attractive.) He is now a proud Mage of the Neptune Guild. Appearance Shade, appearance-wise, doesn't stick out too much. The key word being "TOO much." From a first glance, Shade looks and dresses like an average teenager. He has short, black, unkempt hair that's left flat on all sides, and dark grey eyes. He is also on the thin side, when it comes to his size and weight. But on the subject of his eyes, Shade seems to have rather peculiar looking eyes. For starters, they look more like semi-circles that have been horizontally cut, while still retaining their natural, almond-like shape. This also gives his eyes a certain expression that makes him look as if he's perpetually tired or exhausted (even when he isn't.) As for clothing, Shade dresses simply. More often than not, Shade will be seen wearing a sleeveless, black shirt with a thick, dark green jacket (left open) on top. The jacket has a light grey interior, and a zipper (that's usually left undone.) While wearing this jacket, Shade appears to be more burly than he really is. As for the rest of his clothing, Shade simply wears blue jeans and black shoes. He rarely keeps any accesories around with him, though he has been known to take some with him from time to time. Interestingly, Shade doesn't seem to mind how his eyes look, and has never noticed how much different he looks when wearing his dark green jacket. When he was accepted into Neptune Guild, Shade requested that he had the guild's symbol placed upon his forehead. When asked about this, Shade would reply that having the symbol on his forehead would boldly tell the world that he was now a proud Mage and member of the Neptune Guild. Personality Shade is, what could be best described as, eccentric. In other words, he behaves in a manner that would confuse, or disturb others; yet he has no problem with how he acts in public. When at his best, Shade's personality could be summed up as "socially awkward" instead. Examples would include how he would resort to violence first in order to settle an arguement (no matter whether it was a big or small discussion,) his habit of trying to scare his friends for laughs, his eavesdropping habit, his tendency to say the wrong things at the wrong moment, and many more moments in which Shade either made a fool of himself, or unnerved the people around him. On his bad days however, Shade can go from socially inept, to downright creepy, backwards, or rude (or even all three at once.) Such examples would include either talking about macabre subjects, making impolite gestures and statements, or just being anti-social in general. It's this social ineptitude that leads others who don't know him too well to think of Shade as "creepy, disturbing, rude, and vulgar." Not much is known as to when Shade lost his ability to communicate properly in public, but it's been easily hinted at that he had a decent control on his social behavior around others during childhood. This leads many to assume that after leaving the Stillnight Clan, Shade spent many years alone, which caused him to steadily lose his ability to read social ques well, until it lead up to this point in his life. Still, others will suggest that Shade simply gained this unfortunate ineptitude sometime around the time he was planning on leaving the Stillnight Clan. All in all however, Shade never means any harm when it comes to his awkwardness. Whenever it's brought up, he does his best to shrug it off and laugh about it (which could invariably end up making him somewhat MORE creepy to be around, as it may cause others around him to think that he's mentally unstable; despite this being totally untrue.) Deep down, however, Shade has a big heart and a strong sense in fairness and kindness (not to mention love.) To those who have taken the time to get to know the true Shade, he can come off as a rather pleasant individual to be around, and at times, could be considered to be a big softie. This is evident in how Shade prefers to take into account the feelings and needs of others before his own, as well as the fact that as long as he or anyone he cares about isn't in any immediate danger or harm, and as long as someone is truly sorry, he will do his best to forgive them (even if they were previously his enemy.) This can even lead to Shade helping out those who have angered him in some way, or who had previously tried to attack and/or kill him (as long as the said attacker/instigator is truly, truly sorry and in serious need of help. Otherwise, Shade may simply forgive his aggressor and go about with the rest of his life.) Though of course, this is all within reason as well. And to add to it, this kind of behavior can add to Shade's reputation for being either ignorant or completely crazy (as most people would assume that Shade simply can't understand what one should do when faced with an opponent.) Another important aspect of Shade's personality is his desire to protect and cherish life. Due to his countless years as an assassin and seeing many people die (either by his hand or the hand of another,) Shade seemed to have developed a strong yearning to enjoy life to its fullest, and as a result, made a vow to never kill another living thing ever again (be it human, animal, mythical creature, insect, or plant.) Instead, Shade seems to enjoy doing anything so long as it's with the people he loves (like his guildmates,) and when in fights, has insisted on simply fighting a foe until s/he cannot fight anymore (usually ending up with said foe becoming unconcious as a way to make up for actual death.) Whenever someone wishes to argue with his fighting methods, Shade seems to adamantly state that life is too priceless to steal from others, no matter who they are, and that this is his life and his choice. This sometimes ends with Shade requesting the other person to "butt out" or "mind (his/her) own business;" as only Shade can do. When summarized, Shade can be best described as a socially backward young man who tends to be rather off-putting to strangers; but when given the chance, can display large amounts of love, care, and devotion to others. Additionally, Shade can be considered to be the type who has a natural zest for life; always living each day to its fullest as if it were an adventure. He's good natured, loyal, and hard working. And as a side note that should be mentioned, Shade has been known on more than one occassion to have a large interest in beautiful women, often dropping practically everything he's doing for a lady he's fallen for (obviously seen when he made note that the only reason he'd join Neptune Guild was because he wanted to be around the women in the guild above anything else.) Unfortunately for him however, his social awkwardness often makes him fail at his many attempts in the game of love. This doesn't seem to keep him down for long however, as he will usually try again later. When asked why he would go so far for a pretty face, Shade likes to answer by saying, "women have the greatest spell in the world! They can take your heart and make you their slave for all eternity! And i'm one of those blessed slaves of love!" History To understand Shade, and his rather bizarre personality and powers, one must go back to his days as an apprentice within the infamous family of assassins who used magic to aid them in their quests. The days of when Shade was still trying to earn the right to be called an "assassin Mage" of the Stillnight Clan. Other than the fact that the family business was a rather dark and frightening one, Shade can still recall fond memories of when he would spend time with his relatives. This seems to show that Shade had a happy (if not bizarre) childhood. Around the age of 7, Shade was told the history of his family and how they became assassin Mages in the first place, by his parents and grandfather (the reigning patriarch of the Stillnight Clan) nonetheless. After being told why they did what they did, Shade was given the choice to either accept training in order to continue the family's traditions, or to live out the rest of his life as he saw fit (though he wouldn't be able to become eligible for becoming an assassin Mage anymore.) After hearing the story of how his family came to be what they are now, Shade felt obligated to uphold the Stillnight Clan's reputation and in his own words, "to protect the honor of the Stillnight Clan." It was from this point forward, that Shade's life would have truly begun, as he was now a newly appointed apprentice in the ways of assassination and magic. Shade spent the rest of his life learning the proper techniques of an assassin, while trying to master the various spells that the Stillnight Clan possessed (such as High Speed Magic, for starters.) It wasn't long however, until tragedy struck. At the tender age of 9, two years after beginning his studies, Shade lost both of his parents during an assassination. While they were experienced and seasoned assassin Mages, they had nonetheless fallen into a trap that was set up for them by Mages from a guild that were hired to protect the man that was targeted for assassination. Shade was crushed when he heard the news. It was then that he came upon the realization of how sad an assassin's life truly was. To have to witness death countless times (whether it was by the assassin's hand or not,) to have to bear with the fact of being considered a murderer, monster, and a cold-hearted criminal, and last but not least, the ever constant threat that the assassin him/herself would be the one who would wind up dead. Luckily for Shade, he was comforted by the care of his own grandfather, Sol Stillnight, who saw to it that Shade would be cared for while he mourned his parents' deaths. Sol at first wanted to ask Shade to quit his lessons and resign from the ways of an assassin Mage, in order to not end up like his dearly departed parents. Shade however, had spent his time, when not grieving, to consider whether or not he should continue himself. He eventually came upon the decision that he wanted to further continue his lessons, stating that his reason for doing so was to make his parents proud, by taking their place as an experienced assassin Mage. When asked what his rationale was in order to come to such a conclusion, Shade further explained that he firmly believed in the Stillnight Clan's belief system; that whenever a clan member was to kill someone, that that clan member would have to perform a mandatory prayer ritual in order to allow the deceased's spirit into Heaven. Shade went on to preach that since his parents were killed by Mages from outside the family, that their spirits were still bound to the Earth as ghosts. Sol, his grandfather, understood where Shade was coming from, having learned the many stories and legends that were passed down among the clan from generation to generation. There was nothing more left to say. Shade decided that as long as he believed that his parents were prevented from having eternal rest, that he would give them a home inside his heart and memories, and that while they were there, they would always keep an eye on him as he continued to live his life. Shade wanted to make them proud, as a way to thank them for all the good years they had given him. Impressed with Shade's resolve, dedication, and eternal loyalty to his parents, Sol eventually gave in to Shade's request, and agreed to continue his training. And so, with Shade coming to accept what he had gotten himself into, he began to grow year after year, as he continued to tackle every lesson, every practice drill, and every assignment he was given. In time, he had finally learned High Speed Magic and was allowed the opportunity to advance in rank among his peers. In the meantime, he began to grow attached to his grandfather more and more, having been thankful to Sol for always being there in place of his parents, and for teaching Shade in how to become a truly skilled assassin Mage. Shade felt eternally grateful that the strongest member, the patriarch himself, Sol Stillnight, was the one who had become his teacher (much to the envy of some of the other clan members.) As Shade grew closer to his grandfather, he began to pick up some of Sol's habits. One of which was Sol's tendency to act gentlemanly towards lovely young ladies. This was the trigger behind Shade's attitude towards women. At the age of 13, while trying to learn more assassination spells (at the time, he was told to practice weapon handling,) Shade stumbled across a secret collection of abandoned and discarded spells, written on various scrolls and within many spell-books. Finding the spells to be too cool to resist at the time, and wanting to learn as many powerful spells as he could, he went straight to learning whichever one he came across first. Thus, Shade began to instruct himself on how to use his future signature magic style: Bone Magic. Once he felt confident enough in how to use Bone Magic, he demonstrated what he had learned so far to Sol. And as expected, Sol became upset with the young Shade. Noticing Shade's confused reaction, Sol went on to explain that Bone Magic, along with many of the other spells that Shade had found were considered forbidden in the Stillnight Clan. When asked why, Sol further went on to say that it was because of Bone Magic's unfortunate side effect. Bone Magic was developed (alongside the other forbidden spells) back during the Stillnight Clan's infancy, when the clan had to defend itself from invading, external forces. Bone Magic was intended to be used for hand-to-hand combat and military purposes, by turning the user into a living weapon. The inventor of Bone Magic later discovered its additional usage for assassinations, and thus, Bone Magic was among one of the leading factors to why the Stillnight Clan became a family of assassin Mages. Unfortunately, after sharing his knowledge with the rest of the clan, the inventor of Bone Magic passed away due to using the technique in the first place. Apparently, because he was still inexperienced in handling Bone Magic, the inventor had caused many internal injuries to himself, having accidentally pierced his internal organs upon activation of the spell. Thus, Bone Magic was labeled forbidden due to the great risk in harming the user when in use. Sol warned Shade that if he kept using Bone Magic, that he would one day die by his own hands, as opposed to being killed outright, like his parents were. Wanting what was best for the boy, Sol tried his hardest to persuade Shade from relying on Bone Magic, but Shade wouldn't listen. Instead of being deterred from the magic's risk, Shade indignantly stated that he would master Bone Magic, and learn how to control it to a degree where he would no longer be in harm's way. He also declared that Bone Magic would help him become the greatest assassin Mage in history, which was something he had strived for since he was 7. Seeing this as Shade's way of still wanting to retain the glory of the Stillnight name (as well as his parents' pride,) and knowing how stubborn Shade could be when it came to his family, Sol once again stepped aside; but not without giving one final, grave warning to Shade that nothing good would come out of using Bone Magic, and not without worrying over whether he was doing the right thing by raising Shade in such a manner. In the year that followed, Sol ended up resorting to giving Shade specialized lessons in how to properly control his Bone Magic, and decided to put off everything else until Shade could rely on his magic without worry or doubt. In the end, Shade had finally gained a level of proficeincy with wielding Bone Magic and was about ready to move on with his other lessons. That is, until Sol gave out some rather strange news in a family meeting. He had declared that he had grown tired of the gloomy atmosphere surrounding his family, and wanted to finally start traveling the world, as he had dreamed of doing since he was a child. Now everyone in the Stillnight Clan had known about Sol's ambitions for a long while, and didn't seem to pay too much attention to them, given his age and responsibilities as the clan's patriarch. That's why it came as such a surprise to everyone when Sol made this announcement. Shade too, was shocked beyond belief, not knowing what to make of this situation. Sol tried to calmly explain to everyone that while he loved his family with all of his heart, that he had wanted to go exploring for as long as he could remember, and that while he would get the chance to see some rather amazing things thanks to his career as an assassin Mage, he simply wasn't satisfied with what little he saw. As kindly as he could put it, he continued to reassure everyone that he knew he didn't have too many years left in him, and wanted to see what little he could before he died as well. Much of the Stillnight Clan was up in arms over Sol's decision, calling him selfish and senile. Shade, while not insulting his beloved grandfather, also felt bitter and betrayed; wondering why the man who did so much for him would just leave on a whim all of a sudden. When confronting Sol about this, Sol gently answered that the death of Shade's parents made him remember something that he had forgotten about long ago. That life was too short, and too precious to waste, and must be used to do what one wants to do with it, while s/he still can. Seeing that Shade was still saddened with his departure, Sol encouraged the boy to do the same. Stating that while the Stillnight Clan has been entrenched in generations of long-held tradition, that it may have been time to try something different, and instead of forever living in the shadows, that they try to step into the sunlight and breathe the fresh air again. He told Shade of the fact that he had passed down the title of "Clan Head" to one of his daughters, Shade's aunt, Kurenai Stillnight. He then went about asking if Shade could recall the phrase that the Stillnight Clan lived by. Shade nodded and replied, "that all life is sacred, and must be protected at all times. However, there will be those who simply cannot be allowed to live, and will be chosen for extermination. It is the job of the Stillnight Clan to accept these bloody requests and fulfill them with honor, dedication, and dignity, through the use of assassination magic." Sol then asked what the number one taboo of the clan was. Shade recalled that it was to never kill without just reason, lest it be considered outright murder. And once he answered that question, Sol turned to the boy and smiled, with all the love he was feeling in his heart. Right as he was taking his first few steps, Sol asked for forgiveness from his grandson, and even encouraged Shade to go out into the world himself, just so long as he kept up his Bone Magic practice on a daily basis. Shade stood dumbfounded, as he tried to process his thoughts and emotions. He wasn't sure whether to be angry, or proud of his grandfather. In the end, his confusion gave way to understanding. Shade spent the next few days mulling over everything Sol had told him. Whether it was because of Sol's infectious statements, or because Shade yearned to see the man again, he too began to feel tired of being cooped up in the world of an assassin Mage. That was when he decided to take up Sol's offer to go out into the world himself. Packing up all of his essentials and a few of the spell-books containing instructions on how to use Bone Magic, Shade began to head off on his own. Of course, unlike Sol though, Shade decided it was unnecessary to announce his leave of absence and went about leaving the Stillnight Clan post-haste. But like with Sol before him, Shade came across opposition to this action of his. A few of his relatives (mostly cousins) stood in his way, berating Shade for following in the footsteps of Sol, whom they considered to have betrayed the Stillnight Clan. Feeling angered over what his relatives had said, and wanting to get out and see the world as soon as he could, Shade attempted to force his way out (which resulted in a short fight between Stillnight Clansmen.) Once the skirmish was over, Shade succesfully put his assassin ways behind him and decided to concentrate on his skills as a Mage. Right before he left for good, Shade turned around to look back at his home. With a large smile on his face, he waved goodbye to his family, thanking them all in his heart for the 14 years he enjoyed with them. And with that, he was gone. Shade would spend the next two years of his life working as a mercenary for hire, in order to pay for his expenses. During this time as a mercenary, Shade acquired the title, "The Grim Reaper," thanks mostly to his Bone Magic, but also for his background as an assassin. During his travels, Shade was always constantly on the lookout for his grandfather, Sol, in the hopes that the two would reunite someday. He would also take the chance to hit on every beautiful woman he layed his eyes on (and failing every time.) While having stated that he had no desire what-so-ever to join a guild, Shade eventually came across some of the Mages from Neptune Guild (whether this was by accident or on purpose has yet to be seen.) Despite having the chance to join the ranks of Neptune Guild, Shade had originally turned them down on their offer. It wasn't until he had seen the female members of the guild that he was willing to accept their invitation (even going so far as to beg to be accepted.) Now, Shade is a Mage in the employ of Neptune Guild, having come to love the guild and his fellow Mages for who they are (as well as considering the guild to be like a 2nd family to him.) Now only time will tell if Shade will become the great Mage he has hoped to be since he was a small child. Thanks to his close bonds with his guildmates, and through the use of his Bone Magic, the future seems bright for the womanizing "Grim Reaper." And through the Neptune Guild, perhaps one day, Shade will find his grandfather and teacher, Sol Stillnight, and be able to face him not as a boy who needs to be cared for, but as a respectable Mage in his own right. The story of Shade Stillnight, "The Grim Reaper," begins here... Synopsis Magic and Abilities Bone Magic (骨マジック Hone no Maho): This form of magic is Shade's specialty, and sometimes his calling card. Having learned this type of magic sometime during his years of training with his family members, Shade has progressively gotten more skilled at using, and developing his Bone Magic. With it, Shade can manipulate and control his own skeletal system according to his own will. By doing so, Shade can be as flexible as rubber, strengthen the density and durability of his bones, produce new bones entirely (as well as create weapons and armor out of his bones,) change the size and length of his bones (and presumably his own body to a degree,) or even replace missing and heal broken bones alike. Shade likes to mention that as long as he has a single bone in his body, he can do almost anything (whether or not this claim can be backed up.) It should also be noted that this form of magic seems to add to Shade's somewhat already creepy air about him. High Speed (神足 Kōtari): High Speed Magic is one of Shade's staple abilities, coming a close second in usage to his Bone Magic. With it, Shade is capable of moving at unbelievable speeds, far outclassing an average human's. It's been shown that Shade had to learn this type of magic if he ever wanted to become an assassin Mage among the Stillnight Clan; making it seem that this was a mandatory spell to learn in order to advance in rank in the family. Shade has skillfully learned to use his High Speed Magic in combination with his Bone Magic in order to produce effective combos against opponents. If his Bone Magic were to fail him, Shade will usually fall back on High Speed Magic in order to help him in a fight, and vice versa. Experienced Assassination Skills: Thanks to his many years of training to become an assassin Mage, and the countless jobs he had to take as one, Shade has developed an impressive level of expertise as an assassin (even if he has renounced these skills.) With said skills, Shade has come to fully understand how to get close to an opponent, and once within adequate reach, how to finish him or her off with the appropriate tool or attack. In a sense, Shade has mastered the art of killing. Slight Espionage Skills: Albeit, while it isn't nearly as effective as his assassination skills, Shade has come to learn how to use stealth and sabotage to defeat a foe when necessary. This mostly came from the years he spent on assassination missions as he tried to reach his intended target. Nowadays, Shade will only use his espionage skills when he has to, or when he's fooling around with his loved ones (such as his fellow guild members.) Despite the experience he's gained over his life, Shade isn't quite an expert spy. Relationships Trivia *Shade's birthday (November 2nd) falls on the same exact day as Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican national holiday meant to honor the dearly departed. It also happens to be on the same day as All Soul's Day, a religious holiday mostly revered by the Catholic church in order to pay respects to those who had died within the past year. This coincidence was intentional on my part as the writer. *Shade seems to have a rather annoying habit of cracking the joints of his bones every now and again, and since his Bone Magic allows him to move much more flexibly, Shade is capable of cracking almost every joint in his body without causing too much harm to himself. It appears that Shade does this whenever he is feeling bored or has become irritated with someone or something. Shade sometimes cracks his joints in order to limber himself up for a battle. Quotes Major Battles Category:Human Category:Male Category:Mage Category:Characters Category:Wyvern 0m3g4